Cartridge disassembling machine



y 1944- F. E. COSTELLO 2,349,248

CARTRIDGE DISASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed Jan. 25. 1944 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 FRAN K E1: CIS'I'ELLD,

a. Ana/Wimpy! M May 23, 1944. F. E. COSTELLO CARTRIDGE DISASSEMBLING MACHINE.

7 Sheets-Skeet 2 Filed Jan. 25, 1944 FRAN K E- EUETELLU,

y 1944- F. E. COSTELLO 2,349,248

CARTRIDGE DISASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed Jan. 25, 1944 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 FRANKE BDSTELLEI,

azmwgM May 23, 1944.

F. E. COSTELLO CARTRIDGE DISAS SEMBLING MACHINE Filed Jan. 25, 1944 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 FRANK Elisa-514.0,

y 1944- F. E. COSTELLO 2,349,248

CARTRIDGE DISASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed Jan. 25, 1944 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Fig. 7. 25

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May 23, 1944. F. E. COSTELLO CARTRIDGE DISASSEMBLING MACHINE 3mm FRANKELGCISTELLU,

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'7 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed Jan. 25. 1944 Patented May 23, 1944 UNITED STATE S PATENT OFFICE (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 15 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manu- 'factured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

My invention relates to the disassembly of firearms cartridges, and it has special relation to macl'iines for separating such cartridges into the case, projectile and powder components of which each is made up.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved machine which is capable of disassembling cartridges of all types, including ball, incendiary, tracer and armor piercing.

Another object is to disassemble "rejected and other cartridges in such improved manner that substantially 100% salvage of the cases, projectiles and powder can be had.

A further object is to increase the speed and decrease the labor with which cartridges may be so c lisassembled.

An additional object is to safeguard the car- 'tridges against mechanical injury and accidental explosion during disassembly by the machine.

A still further object is to increase the safety of the machine operators and to decrease the skill and eifort that is required of those operators.

In practicing my invention I attain the foregoing and other objects by providing a cartridge disassembling machine of unique construction and superior performance. One preferred form of such a machine is shown by the accompanying. drawings wherein:

1 is .a top plan view of a machine which incorporates my improvements and which is designed for the disassembly of caliber .30 cartridges;

' Fig. 2 is an elevation view of the front-or operators side of the machine of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation view, partly in section on line 33 of Fig. 2, of the right or powerdrive end of the same machine;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged partial plan view, partly insectionpoi the top of the machine with the line .6-5 of Fig. 5 and partially broken away for greater clarity; Fig. l is a view taken along section line 'l--1 of Fig. 1 to show further details of certain of the machines cams;

Fig; 8 is a lengthwise vertical section view taken along line 8-8 of Fig. 1 through the machines cartridge dial;

Fig. 9 is a section view taken along line 99 of Fig. 1 and showing the cartridge immediately before the pull head is lowered onto the projectile;

Fig. 10 is a similar section view showing the pull head after it has been lowered over the projectile; Fig. 11 is a horizontal section on line ll-ll "of Fig. 9 showing further details of the pull head;

Fig. 12 is a longitudinal section on line I2-l2 through the powder separating chute of Figs. 1 and 12; and

Fig. 13 is a horizontal section taken on line 3- -13 through the upper end of the chute of Fig. i Q

- The complete machine The improved cartridge disassembling machine which these drawings illustratively show will be seen from Figs. 1-2-3 to comprise upper and lower frame plates 15 and I6 interconnected through corner spacers ll and supported by floor legs 18.

.A main power shaft 20 drives into gear and cam mechanism mounted between frame plates lB-IB. This main shaft 20 is supported by right and left bearings l9 and 27. It is ro- Jta'te'd by any suita'bleisource of power, such as an electric motor (not shown), through a main drive pulley 21 carried on the shafts end and rotatively coupled with the shaft by a clutch 22. This clutch has a handle 23 by which the machine operator selects between engaged and disengaged positions and thereby starts and stops the machine at will.

A cartridge dia1'24 is rotatively mounted above the upper frame plate 15 and there fixed to the upper end of a vertical shaft '25 in a manner best shown in Fig. 8. Around the outside of this dial are a series of notches 26 (see Fig. 1) into which the cartridges to be disassembled are fed for progressive rotation with the dial and subsequent separation into their component parts.

One such cartridge positioned in a dial notch isyshownin Figs. 9-10 as comprising a case 28 and a projectile 29; another cartridge held in a similar notch on the opposite side of the dial 26 is shown in Fig. 8. Each of the represented cartridge cases 28 contains a quantity of powder (not shown), and it is the function of my improved machine to separate the projectiles 29 from the cases '28 and the cases from the powder.

In the improved machine here disclosed the cartridges to be so disassembled are fed one by one into the dial notches 26 from a feeding station on the front or operators side ofthe r war movement during the machine (see Fig. 2) each is carried by the dial counterclockwise around a circular track 3! (see,

Figs. 1 and 4) to a pulling station on the opposite or back side of the machine; there the projectile 29 is separated from the cartridge case cases are discharged into a case box 36 (see Fig.

beneath the machine. I l 1 The cartridge dial? The particular machine represented has its dial 2Q 2,4 and cooperating parts designed :to accommodate and disassemble caliber .30 cartridges of the conventional shape shown at 28-2 9. In this caliber .30 machine a speedofrotation of about p I 80. R. P. M. is found to be satisfactory. for the main drive shaft 20.

The represented machine dia1 24 is illustrativelyshown as having sixteen cartridge notches 26, and with each rotation of drive shaft zliytherdial ,is moved counterclockwise by an angular distance equal to the spacing between notches.

ar stepping movement is imparted from themain drive shaft through a pair of .;bevel gears operator's side'of the cartridge: dial 24. This feed plate is'continuously rotated in a counterclockwise direction by any suitable means, such as Ithe'represented shaft 56 (see Fig. 2) and belt-connected pulleys 5158. a I

v The so-placed cartridges are carried between inner and outer feed strips 56-60 (see Figs. 1

and 4) which arrange them in a singlerow and guide'them one by one into the receiving recess of 'a feed'fixture' 62 (see Fig. 4). "This fixture is carried by a feed slide 63 which extends beneath the dial24 for lengthwise movement within guides A tensionspring 66 urges feed slide 63 toward therear or the machine (away from the oper- 1) and the powder into a: powder can. 31', alsof ator) while movement in the opposite direction (toward the operator) is effected by a cartridge feed cam 61 plus cam and slide arms 68--69 (see I Fig. 5) interconnected by a shaft 10.

- During one-portion of each revolution of main drive shaft 26 this feed slide 63 is held by cam .61 in the cartridge receivingflposition shown Iby-Figs. 1, e and 5; during thev remaining portion of the drive shaft" revolution it is moved by spring 66 into the feed position wherein the cartridge is drawn into the dial slot 26 which is in register with the top of a cartridge lift rod 12 (see Fig. 5). I i The purpose of this lift rod v 12 is to raise each cartridge s0 introduced into the dial 24s f'feeding stationtnotch 26 to a level where subsequent movement of. the dial will carry the cartridge headlupon the circular track 3|, For

3s46 of one-to-one ratio, a shaft 41 driven by gear and carrying adisc 42; a roller 43 so mounted onthe disc as'to push an arm 44 away from shaft 4| upon each rotation thereof,a tension spring48...(ben eath frame plate I6) which v through a downwardly protruding pin 49 holds 'armt 44 continuously against roller 43, a pawl 46,1and a ratchet wheel 41 engaged by the pawl and secured to the lower end offdial shaft. 25.

imparting the required lifting action to rod 12 use'is made. of a lift arm 13 and a cooperating cam 14 mounted'on main drive shaft 20, vas shown in Fig. '5. v

This lift rod 12 is essential to a successful operation of machines having the disclosed design ,45fcarried by arm 44 and. having a backing spring Ratchet wheel 11s illustratively shown as,

having sixteen teeth (one for each notch" 26 of cartridge dial 24)", and by) the mechanism just described dial'24 is moved one notch forward upon each rotation of themain,drive"shaft"20. Whenever, moreover, the diaIfis jat restthreei of its notches 26 are in regis'ter'TWiththe feedingf lfpulling" andfdischarge stations earlier named. 4

For holdingthej upright cartridges in the dial notches, use is made of a'guidefstrip 50(seeFig'. f8) ,pos'itioned' around the dial above the outer upright flange of, the c rcular track 31. Homing that track inplace are supports 5| ,,(see Figs'.*

land 8) extending radially from a centralmem ber 52-. That member .52 furthrf' serves as a thrust or support bearing for the'i'cartridge dial the pull station position has thefhead of its case 28 moved into engagement'with a stripper Each cartridge'thu's'brought'byfthe'dial24'into and serves to restrain the cartridge case head The cartridges to be disassembled are placed projectile 1 wherein the circular track '3l is at a higher elevation than. the surface of cartridge feed plate 55. Were, hcwever, elements 3| and '55 to have thesame elevation the functions of lift rod-.12 would no longer be required and that rod could then be dispensed with.

The projectile pull mechanism Withdrawal-of the projectiles 29 from the cartridge cases 28 is effected at the pulling station on-theback side 'of cartridge dial 24 by a pull .head 16 supported by lift rods -18'l9 and includinga clamp fixture 11 whichis provided witha pair of dies 8|-82 (see Figs. 9-10-11). These dies are separable one from the other and V are axially held "within the fixture "n by therapresented top fianges which engage with a shoul from the, expanded position of Figs. 9 and 11' to the projectile gripping position of Fig. '10. Ac-

complishin'g} this is a cam shaped endonlever 94 which :bears against the side of dieBIL" When. the lever is downwardly inclinedas shown in Fig. 9, the dies are freedandban expand sufficientlyto receivefa cartridge lprojectile 29; when, however, lever 94 is horizontal as shown in Fig. 10fits cam shaped end forces the dies head end down' on the e os d surface of a feed plate 55 mounted as shown on the; front or together and causes them tightly to grip the projectile 29. This release and clamping action at the dies lower ends is observed to produce. a.

slight rocking or hinge action at the dies upper ends.

Supplementing the pivotal connection of lock lever '94 with the pull "head H is afriction screw 92. This screw is so adjusted that the effort required to move lever 94 downwardly is greater than the gravity force which the levers weight exerts. Once placed in the horizontal or lock position of Fig. 10 lever 94 thus so stays .until physically pushed down tothe inclined or unlock position of Fig. .9.

Under the action of lift. rods 18-19 this pull head i6 is moved between the upper position of Fig. 9 and the lower position of 10. Urging the head into that lower position are a lift-rod weight. 8i .(see' Fig. 3) and a tension spring 85.; moving the head into its upper position is a pulling cam 8.9 which acts upon lift rod 19 through a roller 88 (see Fig. and a pulling arm 85. This arm'is pivoted at 81 and its free end engages with an opening in lift rod 1'9.

Serving to reinforce this lift rod around that opening is a strengtheningfixture 9i, and further assuring that both lift rods 18-19 move in unison is a lower connector 90 which supplements the upper connection between the two rods which pull head It effects.

The pulling cam 88 is carried on main drive shaft as shown in Fig. 5. During one portion of each revolution of shaft 20, that cam holds the pull head it in the upper position of Figs. 2, 3 and 9; during the remaining portion of each drive shaft revolution it allows .a return of the head to the lower position of Fig. 16, where the dies 8i-752 surround the cartridge projectile 29.

For then lockin those dies upon the projectile, use is made of a lock rod 93 positioned in the machine immediately beneath the end of lock lever 94. This rod 93 is appropriately moved up and. down under the action of a lock cam 95 carried by the main drive shaft Zfilsee Fig. 7), a cooperating cam arm 9E, and a compression spring 91.

During one portion of each revolution of the drive shaft 26, cam 95 holds the look rod in the upper position of Fig. 10 where it forces lock lever 94 into the horizontal or 10ckp0sition; during the remaining portion of each driveshaft revolution the cam allows spring 9'! to return lock rod $353 to the lower position ofFigs. land 9.

The projectile discharge mechanism For unlocking the dies 8i 82 from the projectile 28 after ithas been pulled by head 16 from the cartridge case fidfuse is made of an upper lock release shownin the form of a screw 99 positioned immediately above the end of lock lever 94 and there supported by a stationaryarm lllfi. That arm, in 'turn,extends from a bracket to: secured to the top of frame plate 15.

Upon advancement of the pull head it to its uppermost position, the end-of lock lever il i contacts this releasescrew $9 and is by it moved to the downwardly inclined or unlock position which Fig. 9 shows. By that movement the cam end of lever 94 allows dies iii-82 to free the projectile 29 for downward. release therefrom.

To assure that such releasewill be positive in all instances the pull head is further equipped with a central ejecting stem E82 and a cooperating ejectingscrew Hi3 positioned immediately thereabove. This stem M2 slides loosely up and down in the upper portion ofpull head '56 but is restrained within the head by an enlarged central shoulder.

As the head moves down over a projectile this stem I62 thus is pushed upwardly ahead thereof as shown in Fig. 10. Upon return of the head to its upper position and the accompanying freeing of the projectile 29, screw Hi3 contacts stem I02 and causes it to force the projectile from between the dies 8l82. Each projectile so ejected now drops completely out of the pull head It.

For directing each so freed projectile 29 into the throat IE5 of the projectile chute 32 and thence into the projectile box 33 beneath the machine, use is made of a paddle I53 urged underneath the pull head 16 by a compression spring lil'l. Upon each downward movement of head. 16 this paddle W6 is pushed to the side, as shown in Fig. 10, and thus in no way interferes with the projectile pulling actions earlier described.

Upon return of the pull head to its upper position, spring I02 force the paddle back underneath the dies 3 l--ll2 where it constitutes a sloping bafile effective to deflect each released projectile (see the dotted representation at 29 of Fig. 9) into the projectile chute throat Ii at the side of the cartridge dial 24.

The case and powder discharge and separating mechanism From the pulling station the cartridge cases 28 (from which the projectiles have now been separated) and their powder charges are further advanced by dial 24 to the discharge station for toppling, mouth end first, down the case chute 34.

For affecting the latter action there is provided a case ejector I59 (see Figs. 4 and 8) carried by a slide H0 mounted in guides i i l--! I? for endwise movement immediately beneath the top frame plate i5. Such movement is effected by a transverse or wobble cam H3 carried by shaft 20 (seeFigs. 2 and 8) and a tension spring I H! which holds a slide roller H5 against the cams face.

During one portion of each revolution of main drive shaft 25 the case ejector I89 thus is held by cam H3 in the extreme right position shown in Fig. 8; during another portion of the same shaft revolution it is pulled by spring I M to the left to the other extreme in its range of travel.

In its said right position it receives a cartridge case 28 moved by dial 24 along circular track 3i into register therewith. The pushing face of this ejector slopes inwardly from top to bottom, and because of such slope each cartridge pushed out of the dial notch 26 by the ejector is at the same time tipped over.

Such ejection and tipping occurs upon movement of the ejector slide llEI to the left. That movement is appropriately timed with all other actions in the machine, and in consequence each powder-containing case that arrives at the discharge station is toppled mouth end first into a throat fixture ill of the case chute 34.

. Should a case reach this point without having the' projectile 29 separated therefrom, the named toppling causes that projectile to engage an inwardly bent separator strip l l8 at the throats upper edge. Such engagement topples the cartridge to the side and out of the throat onto the machines top frame plate I5.

All cartridge cases from which the projectiles have been pulled tumble mouth end first down through chute 34 and thence into the case and sloping bottom from which it is'directed through aypowder chute I23 into a suitable powder can 31 also beneath .the machine. v

For keeping thepowder ,all within the separator 35 use of a cover I2.4.for the separatorltop' is found desirable.

Operation of the complete machine Y ing scr'ewiI 03.. :These two; actions respectively unlock thedies- 8I82, and push the now pulled projectile-=29; completely out of-the pull head.

elt nowfalls upon' the sloping surface of paddle ;.I:0.6T.and.?is therebyfleflected outwardly from dial 24121111 0 itheythroat'lfli of projectile chute 32 and'the'nce;intojthe'fprojectile box 33 beneath the: machine; 1' earlier explained, this paddle 'Illfiizis-pushed outrof .the pull head path on the The mannerinwhich the complete mach ine I operates will have becomemore or less evident from the foregoing description of the machines component parts. V I 1 Thecoordination among the several cams and other mechanismsdriven' from the main drive shaft is such thatthe cycle of each operating mechanism has the proper timing with, respect to all cooperating mechanisms and parts. Each of these cycles completes itself during one full revolution of themain drive shaft and in this manner the desired cartridge disassembling is effected by the complete machine.

In each of the cartridge dial 24s sixteen at rest. positions: (a) oneof the dial notches 26 is in register'with the 'feeding station?" to rea ceive a cartridge from the feed plate 55;;(b) another dial notohis in register with the pulling station where its head is engaged by stripper fixture 53 and whereits projectile 291s directly beneath the pull head I6; and (c)- a third 'dial notch 26 is in register with the discharge station where a cartridge case 28 and powder therein contained can be'pushed by ejector I59 down case chute 34. V v i Early in each of these fat rest" positions of the dial 24, feed fixture 62 draws the cartridge from its upright position on feed plate 55 into thedial notch directly over lift rod 12 now-in its-lower position. That rod then raises the cartridge to the level of circular track 3I thus conditioning it for movement thereon when the pull' heads down. stroke .(see Fig..10) and is returned beneath the pull head. byspring IU'I upon the pull head's upv stroke.

Alli .duringthis pulling operation the cartridge dialjzd. continues'in agiven at rest position.

At :the .fdiseharge station meanwhile the car- :tridgecas 28; from-"which the projectile 29 was previously 1 pulled; has been pushed in front of the case ejector I09 nowin its inner or right position." 3 1- Q V v 5 Early "in the same at rest position of the cartridge dialtthis ejector I09 is moved to the left. This movement causes the sloping face of the ejectorfirst'to contact the upper part of the cartridge case '28 and thereby tipand then push the case outwardly from the cartridge dial .24 andv into the "throat IIIjof the case chute 34.

' This'tipping causesthe case to slide down the chute 34. This sliding is open end first so that even while the case is within chute 34 the powder starts to-roll out of the case mouth. Both case and powder then enter separator 35 where the open end ofthe case strikes" baflle I20. This causes the 'case to-slideover'the series of separated rods shown at I2I.

The incident bouncing causes all remaining powder to leave thecase and fall down between rods I2I into the lower part of the separator 35.

Thus completely emptied the case moves out of V the separator, as indicated Fig." 12, and falls into a suitable box 36, placed as shown in Fig. 1. The

' powder meanwhile flows from the lower part 'of separator 35 through chute I23 and intoa suitable powder box 31 also placed beneath themachine. I 1 i All of the cartridge disassembling operations a just described take place within a single at cartridge, dial is advanced to its next position. 1

Atthe pulling station, meanwhilewthe cartridge standing upright in stripper 53 is approached by pull head I6.moving downwardly over projectile 29 from the position Fig. 9 to that shown in Fig. 10. s a 1 v.

, All during this movement lock lever 94 is tilted downwardly for "unlock so that:diesl8l.8 2 slip over the cartridge projectile without friction or binding. Originally in its lowerv position, lock shown in lever 93 now moves upwardly forcing lock "lever" 9 4 to the horizontal or lock position in which 28 containing powder for main drive shaft 20 of the represented caliber dies 8I82 firmly; grip projectile 29. .1 i

The pull head .16 isnow moved. upwardly by pull cam 89 acting through lift rods Iii-4'9".

This movement pulls projectile 29 from the mouth of cartridge case 28 exertinglasumuch force as theseparation may require For caliber rest period 'Of the cartridge dial 24.. Once these operations have been completed the machine advances thedial '24 counterclockwise to its succeeding at rest-p'osition where different notches are-in-register with the ,ffeeding, pulling, and fdischargefstations around the dial.

Here'the sequence of actions just described re peats itselfs In'consequence, another cartridge is fed into'anempty dialnotch from feed plate the projectile 29 is pulled from another car: tridge case 28 by pull head, 16;;and another case is sentdown chute 34 by ejector I09. 7 H V 1 As earlier stated, a. satisfactory running speed .30 disassembling machine isof the order of 80 R. P. M. This means that-in the machine dis- .30 cartridges this pull force is observedto vary from only a fewpounds to as high as over 400 pounds. a a 1 In approachingthe upper position shownin Fig. 9 pull head 16 brings lock lever 94into icontact with lockre'lease 99 and shortly thereafter brings ejecting stem I02 into contact'withv ejectclosed cartridges are disassembled at approximately 89 per minuteu My improved machine here shown and described is capable of disassenibling cartridges 'having projectiles of :all types, including ball, incendiary, tracer and armor piercing. 'Although differing material and internal construction, allof'these projectileshave the same general contour and hence they may interthe rate of changeably be passed through the: machine for separation from their cartridge cases by the dies Bl--82 of the pull head 16.

In the event of: misalignment of the cartridge underneath pull. head Hi, there is no possibility of the projectile being forced down into the case therebeneath since in the improved machine here disclosed the downward movement of the pull head is effected by the weight 84 (see Fig. 3) and the tension spring 85. The force which these elements exert is so small that mechanical damage to the cartridge is not possible.

The same is true of the feed mechanism 6263 and of the case-ejecting mechanism [US-H0. The. cartridge-moving force applied to each of these originates in a spring and is too small to do mechanical damage to the cartridge or case in the event: of misalignment or jamming.

My improved machine further disassembles cartridges in such a way that substantially 100% salvage of the cases; projectiles and powder can be had. The pull dies 8l82 have a configuration which closely matches that of the projectile contour and are so designed that no objection-- able mark is left on the projectile as a result of their contact therewith.

Moreover, the cases 28 are at no point in the disassembling operation subjected tomechanical strain suii'icient to cause deformation. and so they too come. out of the machine totally undamaged and unmarked.

The powder quite obviously is not subjected to damaging action of any kind so that it comes out of the machine in exactly the-same condition as introduced in the assembled cartridges.

All of these factors combine to reduce the hasards of accidental explosion. This is proved by the fact that during months of intensive operation of the disclosed caliber .30 disassembling machine not one single explosion has occurred despite that fact that not only ball type cartridges but also incendiary, tracer and armor piercing" projectiles have been passed therethrough. 1

The speed with which disassembly takes place is relatively high, being of the order of 80 cartridges per minute or nearly 40,000 cartridges for an 8-hour day. This speed is accompanied by high reliability of operation and further contributes to the successful performance which my improved machine has strikingly demonstrated in actual use.

Further advantages include a marked decrease in the skill and effort that is required of the machine operators. The manual placement of the cartridges on the feed plate 55 and their guiding between feed strips 59-60 is an extremely simple operation and can be performed without previous training or experience. The bringing of the assembled cartridges to the machine and the carrying of the separated components away from the machine is even more simple.

Machines designed for the disassembly of cartridges of other calibers can make use of the improved desi n here discloseiand substantially the only changes necessary are in the selection of machine part sizes suited to the caliber and other dimensions of the cartridges to be disassembled.

My inventive improvements are therefore extensive in their adaption and are not to be restricted to the specific form here disclosed by way of illustration.

Iclaim:

1. In a machine for disassembling cartridges,

the combination of a rotatable. dial having car- Midge-receiving notches equally spaced around its periphery, means repeatedly effective at spaced time intervals for advancing said dial through the angular distance between notches whereby each notch successively occupies at rest positions spaced all the Way around said dial peripherys rotative path, a feeding station along said path in register with a given one of said at rest positions, means at said feeding station for so placing a cartridge in each of the said dial notches there coming to rest that the projectile of said cartridge protrudes from the dial, a pulling station also along said path but in register with another one of said dial notch at rest positions that is beyond said feeding station,

means at said pullingstation for there securing in the machine the case head of each cartridge that is brought thereto by said dial, further means at said pulling station effective then to grip the projectile of each of said cartridges and pull it completely free of the cartridge case for subsequent ejection from the machine, a discharge station likewise along said path but in register with a third one of said dial notch at rest positions that is beyond said pulling station, means at said discharge station for pushing from said dial each cartridgecase that is brought to the discharge station by the dial, and means then effective for emptying the powder from each of said cases and for thereafter ejecting the so separated cases and powder from the machine.

2. In a machine for disassembling cartridges. the combination of a fixture wherein there is secured the case head of a cartridge to be disassembled, a pull head carrying separable dies that are shaped to match the contour of said cartridges projectile, a lever extending from said head and having a cam-shaped end by which said dies are freed for separation when said lever is in an unlock position and are forced together when said lever is in a lock position, mechanism operable while said lever is in its unlock position to position said pull head over said projectile, a member next operable to shift said lever to its said lock position and thereby cause said dies to grip said projectile, mechanism thereafter operable to move said pull head and fixture away from each other and thereby pull said projectile out of said cartridge case. and a member still later operable to return said lever to its said unlock position and thereby release said projectile from said dies.

3. In a machine for disassembling cartridges, the combination of a fixture for so securing in said machine the case head of a cartridge to be disassembled that said cartridge stands substantially upright with its projectile on top, a pull head carrying separable dies shaped to match the contour of said cartridge projectile. a lever extending fromsaid head and serving in an unlock position to free said dies for separation from one another and further serving in a "lock position to force said dies towards one another, mechanism operable while said lever is in its said unlock position to lower said will head over said projectile in such a way that said dies are closeable in gripping relation thereon, a lock rod now operable to shift said lever t its said lock position in which said dies grip said projectile, mechanism next operable to raise said pull head away from said fixture and thereby pull said projectile from said cartridge case. a lock release thereafter effective to return said lever to said unlock position and thereby drop said projectile out of said head, and a throw-out paddle nowso projected under said raised pull head asm deflect said dropping projectil'eout-j wardly away from said cartridgecase. .therebe''- neath. l y I 4. In a machine for pulling. projectiles from cartridge cases, the combination ofa fixture for head that said diesare/closeable in= rippin lation thereon, and mechanism; operable after said lever has been placedinwsaid lock posiso securing in said machine the case head of a cartridge to be-disassembled that said cartridge stands substantially upright with its projectile on top, a pull head lowerable over said projectile and having dies which'securely grip the projecthe projectile, case and powderxcomponents of tile therebetween, a throwf-out. paddle positioned in the path. of said downward movement and being resiliently mounted so as to be pushed out of-said path by said pull, head, mechanism for raising said pull head wherebyto'pull said projectile from said cartridge case and also to allow said paddle to resume an inclined position beneath said head, and means for releasing said tion to move said fixturegand said pull head away from each other andthereby pull .said projectile outofsaid case. 1 a

8. In a machine for separating cartridges into which eachis made npgthe combination of a rotatable dia1 havingcartridge-receiving notches spacedaroundits "periphery, means at a feed ng station for placing cartridgesin said notches with their caseheads down and their projectile ends up; means at a fipulling-station 1for sep projectile fro m said pull headdies whereby to I drop it on said inclined paddle and. thereby defiectit outwardly away from said cartridge case therebeneath.

I j 5. In a machine for pulling projectiles from, cartridge cases, the combination or a fixture wherein there issecured the case head of a car tridge to be disassembled, a pullhead carrying separable .dies having internal contours which .substantiallymatch the external contour of said cartridges projectile,,a lever extending from said head and having a cam-shaped endby which said dies are freed for separation when said lever is inan unlock position and are forced together when said lever is in a lock position, means operable while said lever is in said unlock position so to position saidprojectile in said pull head that said dies are closeable in gripping relation thereon, mechanism, effective after said lever has been placed in said flock position to move said fixture and said pull head away from each other andthereby pullsaid projectile out of said cartridge case, and an ejecting stem carried by said pull head and efiective after return of said lever to said.unlock position then to push said projectile from between.

said dies and thence out of said head. i

' 6. In a machine for pulling projectiles from cartridge cases, the combination of a fixture for securing in. said machine the case head of a. cartridge to be disassembled, apull head carrying separable dies having internal contours which substantially match the external contour of said cartridges projectile, a lever extending from said head and being effective in an unlock posicartridge cases, the combination of a fixture wherein there is secured the case head of a cartridge to be disassembled, a pull head .carryin separable dies. having internal contours which substantially match the external contour of said cartridges projectile, a lever extending from said head and being effective in an unloc position to free said dies for separation from one another tion to free said dies for Separation from'one anarating. said projectiles from said cartridge cases while latter are stillr'in said'dial notches, means at a discharge station? for pushing each of said cartridge cases from the dial notch by" which it is carried, and meansithen-efiective for .lempty ing the powdergfrom eachlof said cases and for thereafter ejecting the, so separated cases and powder from the machines: f l

:9, In a machine for separatingjcartridges'into the projectile, case and powder components of whioh'each is made up, the. combination of a rotatable dial having cartridge-receiving notches spaced around, its, periphery, l means. at a. ffeeding station for placing cartridges in 'said'notches with their case heads down and their projectile ends up, means at. a, fpulling station for separating said projectiles from saidicartridgeicases while latter are still in said dial notches, and an ejectorat a' .disoharge station having a push' face outwardly inclined from .bottom. to top and beingeffective to pI1Sh;.eaCh0f-Said cartridge casesout .of the dial; notch ,by:.which vit is. carried in suchaway that'the case iallsfroni the notch mouth end down and-"thereby spiils" out of the case mouth the powder within the case.

10. In a machine for separating cartridges into the projectile, case :and powder components. of which each ismade up, the combination of a rotatable dial having cartridge-receiving notches spaced around itsperiphery means .at .a f eeding station for placing cartridges in saidnot'ches' with their case headsudown and their projectileends up, means at a affpullingstation forseparating said projectiles from said cartridge cases. while latter are still in-saiddial,notchesan ejector at a dischargestation for pushingeach of; i said cartridge cases from the dial notch by which it is carried in .such a way-that it falls-mouthend-down out of;.said;;notch,-qand aiseriesjof spaced rods forming an incline over which each of said cases slides mouth-end-firsti and within 7 the length of which alllof the powder therein falls.

out of the case and downwardly between said, rods. 1'25."

11.1 In a cartridge'disassembling machine, the combination ofa rotatable dial haVingcartridge-L receiving notches spaced ,around its periphery,

means-at a "feeding statioi for placing cartridges '7 in said notches. WithQtheir case heads downand;

their projectile, ends up, meansat apulling. sta-. tion for separating said projectiles from said cartridge cases while latter are, still ,in said; dial notches, an electoral; a'. dischargestation Ior pushing each of said cartridge cases from'lthedial notch by which it is carried and at the sametime, giving a forwardly. tipping movement thereto; a conduit for receivingasaid so ejected cases and having a side wall along which the top of each case passes after leaving said ejector, and an inwardly inclined extension along said side wall placed at a height slightly greater than the case length and being efiective to permit free passage into said conduit of all cases from which the projectiles have been separated but to deflect sidewardly out of said conduit mouth each and every case in which the projectile may still remain.

12. In a machine for separating cartridges into the projectile, case and powder components of which each is made up, the combination of a rotatable dial having cartridge-receiving notches spaced around its periphery, means at a feeding station for placing cartridges in said notches, means at a pulling station for separatin said projectiles from said cartridges while latter are still in said dial notches, means at a discharge station for ejecting each of said cartridge cases from the dial notch by which it is carried, and means operating on each so ejected case for emptying therefrom the powder contained therein.

13. In a machine for disassembling cartridges, the combination of means for securing the case of a cartridge to be disassembled, a pull head carrying separable dies shaped to grip said cartridges projectile, a lever extending from said pull head and serving in an "unlock position to free said dies for separation and further serving in a lock position to force said dies towards one another, means operable while said lever is in its unlock position to advance said pull head over said projectile, means next operable to shift said lever to its said lock position and thereby grip said dies upon said projectile, and means thereafter operable to move said pull head and said secured cartridge case away from each other and thereby draw said projectile out of the mouth of said case.

14. In a machine for pulling projectiles from cartridge cases, the combination of means for securing the case of a cartridge to be disassembled, a pull head carrying separable dies shaped to grip said cartridges projectile, a lever extending from said pull head and serving in an unlock position to free said dies for separation and further serving in a lock position to force said dies towards one another, means operable while said lever is in its said unlock" position so to position said pull head over said projectile that said dies are closable in gripping relation thereon, and means operable after said lever has been placed in its said lock position to move said pull head and said secured cartridge case away from each other and thereby draw said projectile out of the mouth of said case.

15. In a machine for pulling projectiles from cartridge cases, the combination of a fixture for so securing in said machine the case head of a cartridge to be disassembled that the projectile of said cartridge protrudes upwardly therefrom, a pull head lowerable over said projectile and having dies which securely grip the projectile therebetween, a deflector member inclinedly positioned in the path of said downward movement and being resiliently mounted so as to be pushed out of said path by said pull head, means for raising said pull head whereby to draw said projectile from said cartridge case and also to allow said deflector member to resume its inclined position beneath said head, and means for releasing said projectile from said pull head dies whereby to drop it on to said deflector member and thereby incline it outwardly away from said cartridge case therebeneath.

FRANK E. COSTELLO. 

